I live on a rural acreage and would like to install several video surveillance cameras.

I live on a rural acreage and would like to install several video surveillance cameras. One of the cameras will be about 350 feet from the house. Is it possible to run a cable this distance and does Best Buy sell such cables? An additional issue is the possibility that a cable would be chewed by squirrels as the cable will go through a forested area. Are armoured cables available?

Re: I live on a rural acreage and would like to install several video surveillance cameras.

Cat5 or Cat6 network cable is rated for a maximum length of 100 meters (328 feet). That being said, you will only be exceeding the spec by 7% and based on the experience of others it will likely work just fine.

Yes, you certainly need to protect the cable from the elements and (especially) animals. Network cable designed for direct burial is readily available, and armoured network cable is also available. Finding a source for bulk direct burial network cable is pretty easy, less so for armoured network cable. These products are not sold by BestBuy.

It is highly recommended you put the cable inside a buried conduit, instead of directly burying the cable. That will provide equal or better protection than armoured cable, and has the advantage of allowing you to pull a new cable through the conduit should the need ever arise. You can easily find local companies that are in the business of trenching and burying conduit, which will save you a lot of time and hard labor.